Working on a cruise ship offers unique experiences and opportunities and involves inherent risks and potential hazards. Understanding your rights and legal options is crucial when pursuing compensation for job-related injuries. An experienced cruise ship injury attorney from Vucci Law Group can help you recover the money you need. Below, we dive into the legal issues surrounding cruise ship crew member injury cases.
Potential Risks to Cruise Ship Crew
Some dangers that cruise ship crew members frequently encounter on the job include:
Unsafe work areas: Wet floors, improperly stored items, or poorly maintained equipment can cause slip-and-fall accidents, leading to severe injuries.
Accidents due to employer negligence: Cruise lines have an obligation to maintain equipment and follow legal safety requirements. Failure to do so can result in injuries to crew members.
Harsh work conditions: Crew members often work long hours in physically demanding roles. That can lead to soft tissue injuries, back problems, burns, or exposure to illnesses like norovirus.
Pirate attacks: Cruise ships sailing in dangerous international waters may face pirate attacks, potentially leading to hostage situations, injuries, or kidnappings.
Relevant Laws and Rights
Maritime law is a complex subject, especially concerning compensation for injured workers. That said, there are three key laws and legal concepts that govern cruise ship crew injury claims, and they are:
The Jones Act: In the United States, the Jones Act covers maritime workers’ rights. Those include compensation for injury-related costs through maintenance (ongoing expenses) and cure (medical expenses) provisions. Even if you suffer an injury on a vessel registered in another country, certain provisions of the Jones Act might apply to your case.
Unseaworthiness Doctrine: Ship owners have a duty to provide a seaworthy vessel. The owner might be liable for damages if you sustained injuries due to the ship’s unseaworthiness.
Flags of convenience: Cruise lines may often register their ships in foreign countries to avoid stricter regulations, potentially leading to poorer working conditions and fewer crew member rights. However, you might be able to work around these lax regulations with help from a knowledgeable cruise ship crew injury attorney.
Common Cruise Ship Crew Member Injuries
Crew members on a cruise ship frequently sustain severe injuries, including:
Soft tissue or back-related injuries: Crew members often perform physically demanding tasks, such as lifting heavy materials or bending over to clean the deck. These activities can lead to sprains, strains, fractures, or spinal disc damage.
Burns: Fire hazards exist on cruise ships, and explosions, steam injuries, or kitchen fires can potentially cause severe burn injuries to crew members.
Exposure to illnesses: Crew members are sometimes exposed to foodborne illnesses, such as norovirus, which can range from mild to severe and even become life-threatening in some cases.
Slip and fall accidents: Wet or slippery surfaces, poorly maintained equipment, and cluttered work areas can lead to slip-and-fall accidents. Those often result in broken bones, fractures, head injuries, or spinal injuries.
Falling objects: Overloaded shelves, improperly secured equipment, or items falling from heights can cause head trauma, lacerations, or other injuries.
Machinery accidents: Crew members working with or around machinery may suffer injuries due to malfunctions or lack of proper maintenance, including crush injuries, amputations, or entanglement injuries.
Chemical exposure: Handling cleaning agents or other chemicals on board may lead to chemical burns, respiratory issues, or skin irritations.
Overexertion: Long work hours and physically demanding tasks can result in overexertion injuries, such as muscle strains, fatigue, and heat-related illnesses.
Repetitive stress injuries: Performing repetitive tasks may cause injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, or bursitis.
Mental and emotional distress: Traumatic accidents or hostile work environments can lead to mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What to Do If You’ve Been Injured at Work on a Cruise Ship
Your actions immediately after sustaining a job-related injury can significantly affect your case’s outcome and how much compensation you receive. If you suffer an injury while working on a cruise ship, here’s what you need to do:
Seek immediate medical attention from onboard first aid or medical staff.
Document the incident with detailed records, including photographs, if possible.
Consult a lawyer with experience handling maritime cases before contacting your insurance company.
Notify your employer per their requirements, but avoid saying anything that an insurer might see as you admitting fault for your injuries.
Our Firm Protects the Rights of Injured Cruise Ship Crew
The cruise ship crew injury team at Vucci Law Group is here to protect your rights and help you recover fair compensation for your work-related injuries. Call us today at (866) 404-3415 or visit our contact page for a free consultation.
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Types of Claim
There are many things for which a passenger may make a claim, some of which include:
Firstly, I want to say a massive thank you to everybody at the Vucci Office! In particular - Karl, Millie and Raul . I was visiting from England and they couldn’t have made me feel more welcome; They worked perfectly as a team to make me feel assured and made a hard time much easier.
Louis Vucci was recommended to me by a friend from my previous career and after using him, I can safely say I have no regrets.Louis was consistently honest with me which I greatly appreciated. He spent an endless amount of time on my case and his passion was so genuine - I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I couldn’t recommend them anymore.
Once again, thank you!
Albert L.
I was injured on a cruise ship – I slipped and fell and injured my shoulder. I was not sure about the process and needed help. I had no idea about the difficulty in dealing with a cruise line. My attorney, Louis Vucci, handled my claim from beginning to end and guided me throughout. He and his staff were courteous and attentive and obtained a great result on my behalf.
Betty A.
I had to have hip repair surgery because of a slip and fall on a cruise ship. Louis was very kind and professional. This was my first experience working with an attorney. He never tired of all my questions and answered truthfully and respectfully. He honestly understood my concerns and addressed every single one. I could not have asked for a better attorney. He and those in his office were wonderful. He settled my case in a timely manner and I was very happy with the outcome.
Andrew Somer
I worked with Louis and The Vucci Law Group from an incident I had aboard a cruise ship. Louis was very candid, honest and sympathetic to my situation. He was thorough and worked on my behalf with the cruise line, insurance and medical companies. He kept me fully updated and informed every step of the way. He made this very challenging time a little easier to handle. Highly recommended.
Denise Grosdanof
My son broke his arm while participating in the onboard child care program. I approached other lawyers who turned down my case. I was about to give up and I decided to try one last time. I found Louis and I could not be happier that I did. Not only did he sympathize with my case he was well versed on legal responsibility the ship has to ensure safety of children while in their care. He responds to inquiries and emails immediately and takes you through the steps to file a claim. We were extremely happy with the outcome! I highly recommend working with Louis, he is knowledgeable friendly and easy to approach. The whole process was painless.
K. K.
I broke my C4 vertebrae after suffering a fall on a Flow Rider excursion sold by Carnival Cruise Line. I was very fortunate to have Louis Vucci represent me in my personal injury lawsuit. Louis was extremely professional, knowledgeable and tenacious. He did an excellent job of asserting my claim against all responsible parties (including the Flow Rider operator in Grand Turk), anticipating and addressing their defenses, and securing a very favorable settlement. Along the way, Louis always kept me informed about the status of my case and minimized any inconvenience to me, which I very much appreciate since I live in New Jersey. Thank you Louis for your good counsel and determination to obtain a fair and just resolution.
Ryan Bockiaro
Louis is down-to-earth and will go out of his way to help you
